The attendance at Maruti Suzuki's violence-hit Manesar plant is gradually increasing with a total of 696 workers reporting for duty on Monday after the unit was reopened last week.

The attendance at Maruti Suzuki's violence-hit Manesar plant is gradually increasing with a total of 696 workers reporting for duty on Monday after the unit was reopened last week.

According to the company sources, 314 workers had reported till Saturday and 382 more joined on Monday, when Maruti Suzuki's Japanese parent Suzuki Motor Corp's Chairman Osamu Suzuki visited the plant.

"Since the lifting of the lockout, permanent workers have been reporting for duties in different lots. Today, a total of 382 more workers came to the plant," a source said.

The total number of permanent workers was 1,528 out of a total strength of 3,300 people. The company has already fired 500 regular workers for their alleged involvement in the violence.

"Of the remaining permanent workers, about 68% have resumed duties so far," the source said.

While lifting the lockout at Manesar on August 21, the company had invited 300 workers and planned to roll out 150 cars a day against the plant's capacity of 1,500-1,700 units a day. However, the attendance on the first day was low.

On Sunday, Maruti Suzuki India Managing Director and CEO Shinzo Nakanishi had said as against a target of nearly 900 units planned in five days after reopening, 436 units of Swift and DZiRE were rolled out.

The Manesar plant produces some of the best-selling models such as Swift and DZiRE, along with SX4 and A-Star.

Nakanishi had said production would be further ramped up from this week.